Aftershocks
by illyrilex
Summary: Post Well Enough Alone; xanny - King isn't the only one affected by Ryo's words. COMPLETE!
1. Robert: Bury a Friend

**Hi. I was going to wait to publish this — like, really wait — but I just don't have willpower, okay? Anyway, this one has been interesting because I'm hitting some different dynamics here; hopefully it all works out. It takes place after Well Enough Alone and xanny, so maybe check out one or both of those first, but I don't think you'd be totally lost without them because context.**

**Also, I want to give a very special shout out to my fren Rex Madison, who was a huge help with this one, serving as something of an "unofficial" beta on most of this project. If you're reading, thanks dude — I super appreciate it.**

**With that being said... onward~**

* * *

"Bro, what the fuck?!"

Robert Garcia's question came out somewhat labored, as he had just done what had to have been one of the most epic, most cartoonish spit takes that was known to mankind. He stared at his friend — no, his _brother_ — Ryo Sakazaki in utter disbelief as he used a napkin to wipe Diet Coke off of his face and goatee.

"Dude, what the hell was that?!" Ryo asked, concerned but, also, apparently mildly annoyed.  
"Yeah," the Pao Pao Café's owner, Richard Meyer, spoke up from across the counter, a rag in his hand, "What the hell was that?! Do you have any idea of how much of a pain in the ass wiping counters all the time is?"  
"Yeah, sorry," Robert said quickly, with a dismissive wave of his hand, as he turned back to Ryo.

"Why would you even _say_ something like that," he probed.  
"Like what? What I really think?"  
"Yes!"  
"Dude, she _asked_. What was I gonna do? I already bent the truth a bit once!"  
"So fucking bend it again!" Robert all but shouted.  
"No," Ryo replied simply but sternly.

Robert closed his eyes then, and thought of his martial arts training, and all of the techniques he knew that would help him reach a more peaceful state of mind. He took a very deep breath and set his jaw as he tried to apply any one of them.

"I don't see why this is such a big deal," Ryo said with a frown.  
"You dense motherfucker," Robert groaned as he cuffed Ryo's ear. "Do I really have to explain it to you?"  
"You know what? Sure. Explain it to me," Ryo answered, exasperated. He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, giving Robert the go ahead.

"You more or less told a _rape_ victim that she's not good enough to sleep with anymore."  
"That's not what I said!"  
"Oh, yeah? Tell me what you said, then. Word for word."  
"I said… that… I find the idea of women with too many men a little —"  
"_That_!" Robert interrupted.  
"What?!"  
"What do you mean '_what_?!' Again I ask: why would you even say something like that?"

Ryo furrowed his brow as he took a quick swig of beer.

"Am I not allowed to have principles and — and certain beliefs? And where the hell have _you_ been that you're just now getting pissed about this? We've discussed this stuff before!"  
"Yeah but I didn't think you actually thought like that!"  
"Okay, now _you're_ the 'dense motherfucker.'"  
"Says the guy. who told. a rape victim. that she's been with too many men," Robert stated very carefully. Maybe saying it slower would help it sink in.

"Look," Ryo started, "I don't know how many others there have been. She's a bartender — she meets people all the time —"  
"I'm stopping you right there because we both know that she's not one to just go with people."  
"Do we really? We spent over a year thinking that she was just being a cranky bitch for no reason instead of dealing with what she's been dealing with!"  
"Dude," Robert remarked flatly.  
"Okay, how about this," Ryo snapped. "What if it was Yuri?"

At that, Robert balked. Ryo went on before he could offer a response.

"What if, before you, Yuri had been with a couple of different guys? How would that make you feel? It would be weird, right?"

Robert paused. The idea of his girl — of _Yuri_ — with other guys before him didn't even compute.

"Really think about it," Ryo told him.  
"Okay," Robert sighed after a moment of silence. "It would be a little weird, yeah. But you know what? I would take pride in knowing that I could do it better than whoever it was before."

Ryo and Robert both grimaced; after all, this was Ryo's sister they were talking about.

"I just… I can't think like that," Ryo admitted. "I feel like… I dunno. It almost grosses me out a little. That someone could just… be with so many different people."  
"'So many?'" Robert quirked a brow. "I was there for that conversation, too, man. She mentioned one other guy, and her ex — who was a chick. And, come to think of it, you got a little weird about _that_, too. Anyway, unless she's been off fucking dudes willy-nilly — which she definitely _hasn't_ been because, come on, this is _King_ we're talking about — you're just being a Puritanical ass, and you need to get that shit out of your head because you're probably this close —" Robert held his thumb and index finger not even half an inch apart — "to losing her as a friend."  
"But that's the thing," Ryo exclaimed, "She's my _friend_! Even if she wasn't… I wouldn't want to!"  
"Anymore," Robert replied with a knowing grin.  
"Quiet. That was… just… a fluke."  
"Whatever, man. Regardless of what it was, the point is that you told her one thing: that you don't think she's a whore — right?"  
"Right. Because I don't."  
"But then you turned around and told her that she's been with too many guys! That's what a whore is! You can't have it both ways, dude!"  
"I… I know that! It's just…" Ryo trailed off so he could drink some more.  
"Complicated, right? There's nothing complicated about this, man — you're just being an ass!"

Suddenly Ryo's head snapped forward and the liquid in his mouth sprayed out all over Robert's expensive Armani shirt. Before Robert could get too pissed and grossed out, a high, clear voice yelled:

"'_Too many men_?!'"

Yuri Sakazaki stood behind her brother, her phone in one hand, _furious_.

"What the hell?!" Ryo exclaimed while holding the back of his head.  
"Are you serious?!" Yuri shouted. "This is bullcrap! It's bullcrap, and _you're_ bullcrap, and this is why we can't have nice things, you unbelievable… _butthole_!"

The younger Sakazaki threw her hands up before smacking her brother upside the head again.

"Yuri, I swear to god if you touch me again —"  
"We all know you're going to stay your ass in that seat so don't even start," Robert growled as he dabbed at his soiled top. "You owe me a new shirt."  
"I don't owe you anything!"  
"No, but you owe Céccy one heck of an apology," Yuri said as she strolled over to Robert.  
"You talked to her?" Both men asked in unison.  
"Not exactly," Yuri began. "She texted me so I texted her back but she hasn't responded so she's probably sleeping off whatever, or in the shower, or —"  
"What'd she say?!" Ryo interrupted.  
"Oh, look who suddenly cares," Yuri growled. "Anyway, she said. Uhh…"  
"...What?" Robert asked, one eyebrow raised.

Yuri quickly unlocked the phone in her hand, tapped on the tiny photo of King that was in the Messages screen, and held it up with a grimace so Robert could see. He cleared his throat, squinted at the screen (he had left his glasses in the car) and read out loud:

"Remember all those times you told me that Ryo would never think differently of me if he knew about what happened? Guess what. He does, and he told me that I've been with too many men now. So if he asks about me you can tell him that he can get fucked. Maybe even by too many men."

Robert couldn't help himself as he began laughing because that was one hell of a burn. After a bit, he cleared his throat and looked to Ryo, ready to continue their conversation, but he was suddenly hit with a feeling of unease. Something was coming, and whatever it was definitely was not good.

"Robbie?"

Yuri placed one arm around Robert and lowered herself onto his knee so she could half-stand, half-sit.

"Robbie, what is it?" she asked curiously.

Robert was about to respond but stopped when Yuri's face paled as she glanced beyond her brother, toward the front entrance.

"Oh, crap…!"

* * *

_Ummm, not a lot that needs to be explained going on here:_

_* Armani shirts are expensive as fuck. The cheapest one I saw in my research was $225.00 USD_  
_* Céccy = King; Yuri dubbed her Céccy after she was told to stop calling her "King-san" all the time._  
_* Robert's glasses: Falcoon drew a portrait of bespectacled Robert in a business suit once so I took it a ran with it. Fight me._

_Okay! That's it for this installment! What did Robert and Yuri see, and why did it elicit such a reaction from Yuri? Hit me up with your guesses and general thoughts/feels. Until next time~_


	2. Mary: Protect and Serve

**Oh hai. I know, I know — a lot of you are probably like, "WTF? Why the quick update?" The answer to that is, well... I don't have a good answer; this chapter is just... ready. Not only is it ready, but the research involved probably put me on, like, five more internet watch lists (because the research involved for MLS and OtB? Whooo boy...)**

**Onward~**

* * *

Mary Ryan was not having this shit.

Not today.

Not ever.

She held her head up high as she walked, shoulders squared, into the Pao Pao Café, where, as luck would have it, her target was located at the moment. He was, unsurprisingly, with his sister and his best friend, and it looked like they were having one hell of a conversation. Mary continued forward, never taking her eyes off the trio, who simply _radiated_ chaotic dumbass energy.

The detective felt almost like she was walking in slow-motion; the distance between the front door and the expansive bar wasn't always this far… was it? Whatever — it didn't matter. As she drew closer she reached behind her back, unclipped a heavy duty stun gun from her waistband and deftly switched it to the armed position; she smirked when she noticed that she had been spotted — not by her target (who was right in front of her now), but by his companions, who were both facing her general direction. Before either could even make the slightest sound, she viciously pressed the stun gun against the small of Ryo Sakazaki's back, activated it… and held it in place for as long as she could before he fell off his stool.

"Brother!"  
"Oh, _shit_!"

Yuri Sakazaki and Robert Garcia yelled at the same time when Ryo hit the floor hard.

"Stay back," Mary warned the couple (and other bystanders as well), her normally high, almost child-like voice nearly a full octave lower. Once she was certain that no one would interfere she put the stun gun away and squatted down beside Ryo, who was trying desperately to sit up.

"You're probably wondering what the hell just happened," she told him casually, her voice back to its usual cadence and clarity. "See, you just took fifty-three million volts of electricity… right in the back. Fifty-three _million_! From what I understand, that really hurts. But do you know what else hurts?"

Mary paused so Ryo could at least make an attempt to answer her question, however, all that came out was a tortured grunt.

"It hurts when the people you love are hurting and you can't really help them," she went on. "I mean, you can offer all the moral and emotional support in the world… or you can take matters into your own hands if their pain was caused by somebody else… But I think you knew that already, huh."

Mary quickly glanced upward, just in time to see Yuri give Robert a look. He subtly nodded at her before taking a hesitant step forward.

"Hey, Mar —" he slowly began.  
"Shut it Garcia, or you're next," the cop barked. She turned her attention back to Ryo, who had graduated to a slightly upright position and glared daggers at her.

"Y-you?!" he grunted weakly.  
"Yup! Anyway. So, yeah, it sucks. I've done what I can… and I'll _keep_ doing what I can to help her. Unlike _you_, who has caused her nothing but _grief_ in the short time that you've known about what happened!"

With that, Mary rose to her feet and pulled her handgun from the shoulder holster under her jacket, ignoring the frightened gasps of those around her as she inspected the firearm.

"This is Matilda," she stated, almost thoughtfully, as she held the weapon so Ryo could see it. "She's a Glock twenty-two and holds fifteen rounds of ammunition. Smith and Wesson, copper bullets, yadda yadda yadda — I won't bore you. Anyway, I don't like using her so she's only made a guest appearance a handful of times because I kinda prefer my hands when I get down and dirty, but whatever."

Unable to form a coherent sentence, Ryo angrily looked up at Mary, who was staring at the gun in her hand.

"He _hurt_ her," she continued. "_Bad_. So I shot him — twice that night. And then two more times later. I shot him _four_ times for hurting her the way he did. Like this."

In a single motion Mary switched Matilda to her left hand, and without even looking, fired four shots, each one directly into a different bottle of alcohol behind the counter, undeterred by the screams of the patrons in the establishment.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Richard Meyer, the Pao Pao's owner (and an acquaintance of Mary's) yelled while he rushed toward her from his place on the other side of the bar.

"Put it on my tab, Richie," she called as she calmly holstered the gun while looking directly at Yuri, who was holding on to Robert for dear life.

"Have you talked to her today?"  
"Nuh-nuh-no," Yuri stammered, her large eyes overflowing with fear. "Umm...y-you?"  
"Last night. Or this morning, really. Brought her some xanny."  
"D-does that mean she's…?" Robert started to speak up, unusually timid.  
"It took the edge off, if that's what you're wondering," Mary began. "She's —"

All of a sudden Mary found herself off balance as a dull, heavy pain shot through her ankle. She tried to catch herself but she went down hard, with her elbow and upper glute taking the brunt of the impact.

"Brother!"

Yuri yelled at Ryo, who gingerly pulled himself into a standing position. He placed a hand on his lower back, where the stun gun's sharp prongs had made contact, and hissed while glaring at Mary, who was massaging her elbow.

"I think I know what your problem with me is," Ryo said crossly, "But I didn't do anything wrong! All _three_ of you are overreacting, and I'm done listening to it!"

With that, Ryo began walking away. Meanwhile, Robert face-palmed at the same time Yuri raised her eyebrows, disbelief all over her face.

"Dude!" Robert groaned.  
"'_Overreacting_?!'" Yuri exclaimed.

Mary wordlessly jumped to her feet, her usually even temper finally hitting a dangerous boiling point. She spun on her heel and leapt toward Ryo with a flying elbow that would have struck him dead between the neck and shoulder had he not turned and blocked the hit at the last second. He swiftly grabbed Mary by her shirt, executing a brutal shoulder throw that sent her right back to the floor.

"You want a fight!?" Ryo asked as Mary picked herself up. "I'll give you a fight! And when it's over you can tell King that she's making too big a deal out of this!"  
"Too big a deal out of this?!"

Mary deftly removed her jacket and threw it at Ryo, completely catching him off-guard; he swiped it away just in time to block a quick elbow and retaliate with a crushing side kick that caught Mary's hip. Ryo was prepared to block high, but was taken by surprise when Mary went low with her notorious Straight Slicer slide kick; it connected with his ankle and momentarily wobbled him.

"You haven't been there," she shouted as she tried to snatch Ryo's leg. She had him for just as second before he slipped out of what would have been a very nasty submission hold. "You haven't seen what this has done to her!"  
"I haven't been there because I've been in the dark about this whole thing!" Ryo retorted while taking a step away from Mary, who was back on both feet — and angry. She could see him gearing up for his Hien Shippu-whatever-the-hell-it-was-called, so she rolled out of the way the second he came at her with that trademark flying knee and crouched down before lunging forward in an attempt to grab him from behind.

"Why do you think that is?!" Mary exclaimed as Ryo pivoted and tried to hit her with an uppercut. She quickly dodged the punch, created some distance, and dropped her arms, lulling Ryo into a false sense of security as he threw a straight right hand at her — which is exactly what she wanted. She closed her hand around Ryo's and sharply jerked his entire arm to the side; he cried out, startled, while he stumbled, which allowed Mary to vault upward with a side flip, his hand still in her grasp: She hooked the back of her knee around his neck, joined her legs together, which locked his head in place, and used her weight to pull him all the way to the floor. Once he was down she rolled over him, her legs still in place, and hyper-extended his arm.

"She _knew_ —" Mary gritted her teeth and clenched her legs around Ryo tighter as he tried to worm his way out of her hold — "that you were going to be a total jerk about it, but the rest of us gave your trifling ass the benefit of the doubt! We all told her she was being paranoid — that you could _never_ see her as flawed or damaged, but you proved everyone _wrong_!"

With that Mary wrenched Ryo's arm harder while squeezing his neck with her legs. He used his free arm to rapidly tap the side of her knee, but she didn't let go.

"Mary! Please stop," Yuri exclaimed from her place beside Robert, who was watching the skirmish in stunned silence. The plea fell on deaf ears as Mary held her victim in place.

"She's been through enough hell _without_ your bullshit," she went on while Ryo writhed on the floor under her. "She's come a long way, and I will be _damned_ if I let your holier-than-thou attitude, or archaic view on women wreck her all over again!"

Ryo let out a loud grunt as Mary continued to pull. She knew she was probably taking things way too far, but she couldn't help it: King had been _changed_ by the incident; the woman had gone from completely unconcerned about what others thought of her to scared _shitless_ of how she might be perceived by _any_one who found out about her assault — particularly Ryo, whom she had once crushed on but still considered a good friend. The fact that he was able to change his opinion of her so easily — over something that wasn't even her fault! — made "Blue" Mary see red.

"Mary," Yuri pleaded. "Please let him go!"  
"You've made your point!" Robert interrupted.  
"Are you sure about that?" Mary asked before glancing at Ryo, whose face was a horrible shade of magenta. "Have I made my point?" She asked sweetly.

Ryo nodded — or tried, anyway, as there was so much pressure on him that he could barely move. Mary loosened her hold; she deftly jumped up and tilted her head to the side as she stared down at him while he held his throat with his good hand and coughed.

"Y-you're crazy," he sputtered.  
"No. Just protective over the ones I love. You of all people should totally get that."

Still coughing, Ryo flexed his arm several times while opening and closing his fist. He glanced at Mary, who offered him a bright smile.

"Here," she said, stretching her hand out to help Ryo up as a gesture of good will. He looked at her carefully, distrust written all over his face as he placed his hand in hers. Mary pulled him up, and in one frightening movement, twisted his wrist, grabbed his ring and pinky fingers, and snapped them with very little effort.

Yuri and Robert both shouted while Ryo howled in agony. He took a step backward, clutching his hand, his expression more shocked than anything else.

"What the fuck?!" He cried out, his voice strangled.

"That's it!" Yuri yelled. She started toward Mary but Robert wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor, making sure that she wouldn't be able to go anywhere.

Meanwhile, Mary raised her eyebrows as she picked up her jacket, completely unfazed by what she had just done, or the reactions of everyone around her. She nodded her head at Robert and Yuri (who was still trying to wriggle out of her boyfriend's grasp) while Ryo stammered Japanese obscenities: She gave a two fingered salute, then pointed the same fingers at Ryo and pantomimed firing a gun.

"Bang," she said in that almost unsettlingly low tone before she sauntered off, leaving a crowd of slack-jawed, terrified bystanders in her wake.

* * *

_Alright, alright, you're probably sitting there like, "Okay, seriously wtf?" but there's some stuff to go over before you start going wild in that review box, so let's get to it:_

_* Mary's stun gun (which can be used during Straight Slicer) is the ViperTek VTS-989, which, according to several lists, is the best stun gun on the market right now. It's super affordable, has super sharp spikes which help it penetrate clothing, and has an anti-grab feature so it can't be snatched (not easily, anyway). Oh, and, yes — fifty-three million volts will drop anyone, but it's the amperage that causes the real harm._  
_* As stated before, Matilda is a reference to Leon Kennedy's handgun in Resident Evil 2. The Glock 22 is a standard issue police handgun; the bullets Mary mentions are Smith & Wesson 40: solid copper bullets; hollow point._  
_* When Mary says she shot "him" four times, she is, of course, referring to King's rapist: One shot to the ear, and then one to the knee in MLS; both knees in Bang._  
_* Most of Mary's most devastating combos in KOF XIV start with her jumping fierce elbow._  
_* Mary throwing the jacket at Ryo could be seen as nod to that one cutscene in Resident Evil 5 in chapter 5-3 but it's kind of a stretch. Maybe. Idk. I was just making a gif of it the other day so maybe it stuck on a subconscious level._  
_* Remember, folks, the Hien Shippu Kyaku starts with a flying knee that extends into a kick. So, like... don't say I don't know moves because I hella studied the animations lol_  
_* The maneuver Mary uses to take Ryo down is the same move Black Widow uses on Happy in Iron Man 2 during the sparring scene. I watched it in slo-mo like, seven-hundred times._  
_* Mary's signature win pose: we all know the one. She pantomimes a firing a gun and says "Bakyun," which totally sounds like "Fuck you" to the untrained ear but means "Bang."_

_Okay. Deep breaths. We got through it. Ryo's tough and has a very high pain tolerance so he's good, don't worry about him. As for Mary, where does she go from here? What about Yuri, who's clearly ready to kick some ass? Tell me all the thoughts you guys; inquiring minds want to know! Until next time~_


	3. Yuri: Safe Haven

**Oh, hey again. Another early update because I feel like it. Onward~**

* * *

"Oh, come onnnnnnnnuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh~!"

Yuri Sakazaki shouted as she frantically pounded on the door in front of her. If Pantera's _The Great Southern Trendkill_ wasn't blaring from the other side of it she would have assumed that the tenant was either out and about or sleeping, as she hadn't responded to a single call or text message during the day, but, obviously, that wasn't the case. And, so, Yuri Sakazaki continued to hit the door with almost everything she had (_everything_ she had would splinter the wood and eventually knock it down completely), disturbed by the events she had just witnessed not even a full hour before. It took another two minutes, but, finally, the volume of the music went down (but not by much) and an exasperated voice called, "I'm coming, I'm coming!" from inside the apartment. Within a few seconds the door was finally pulled open by an impatient Mai Shiranui, who was dressed in frumpy pajamas: There was a thin tape measure draped over her shoulders, and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows, her ridiculously gorgeous features going from agitated to surprised to cheerful in the span of a second.

"Oh! Hey girl!" She said happily, stepping aside so Yuri could enter.  
"Where've you been?!" Yuri exclaimed over the music.  
"I've been here! Andy's out training, but I didn't go with him because I was having some really bad cramps so I decided to stay home and work on this new dress, instea — why do you look like that?"

Yuri took a deep breath and held it as she stalked right over to the stereo and turned it almost all the way down.

"When's the last time you checked your phone?"  
"I dunno," Mai said with a shrug.  
"When's the last time you talked to Céccy?!"  
"I went to see her at the bar yesterday. Yuri, what's going on? What happened? Is she okay?! Are _you_ okay?!"

Not exactly blessed with the strongest ability to handle stress, Yuri plopped down on the nearby couch while she took deep, meditative breaths in a fruitless attempt to calm herself. Meanwhile, Mai stood over her, expectant, curious, and alarmed.

"...Yuri?"  
"Your friend is a _PSYCHOPATH_!" Yuri finally yelled.  
"What?! Who? Kingy?!"  
"No! Mary!"  
"Why? What'd _Mary_ do?"  
"She-she used a stun g-g-gun on Ryo, nearly snapped his arm in half, and-and broke two of his fingers!"  
"WHAT?!" Mai yelled. "Why would she do that?!"  
"Because she's _nuts_!"  
"No no no. I mean… yeah, she _does_ have a little Jekyll and Hyde thing going on," Mai said while lowering herself onto the floor in front of Yuri, "but she only gets that way if there's a _really_ good reason — like, if someone hurts somebody she's close to or something. Yuri, what did your brother do?!"

At that, Yuri grimaced.

"You don't… you don't know what's going on, do you?"  
"No…? What's happening?" Mai asked hesitantly.  
"He said something really messed up to Céccy —"  
"Again?!"  
" — so I guess Mary got real mad about it. Like… _real_ mad."  
"Oh, no... What'd he say?"

And, so, Yuri took a few minutes to fill in all the blanks for Mai, whose eyes became wider and wider with each new detail. By the time the story was finished she was completely slack-jawed, her hands gripping her tape measure.

"Woooooooow," she breathed.  
"Yup," Yuri responded weakly. With a wince she placed a hand on the back of her head; she really hoped she wasn't about to have a migraine attack _now_.

"So… let me get this straight," Mai began. "Ryo talked to Kingy at some point last night…"  
"Uh-huh."  
"And he told her that she's slept with too many men…"  
"Yeah..."  
"...So you and Robert were talking to him at Pao Pao when Mary came in, completely lost it, and attacked him?"  
"Yes!"

Mai sat back on her haunches, thoughtful.

"What a mess," she sighed.  
"Tell me about it! I was ready to go after her myself but Robbie held me back. I told Ryo he should at least press charges. I mean, he's a butt, but he didn't deserve all of _that_!"  
"Maybe not… but…"  
"But what?! There's no 'but!'"  
"Honestly, if somebody said that about _you_ I'd probably burn them!" Mai declared while raising a fist in the air. "Nobody ever messes with my Yuri!"  
"But nobody's messing with me..."  
"No, but that's how Mary feels about Kingy, it's super cute and I totally get it. By the way, where even is she?"  
"Who? Mary? Getting arrested, I hope."  
"Knowing her she probably turned herself in, but I'm not talking about her right now I'm talking about Kingy! Where is she in all this?"  
"I dunno… She never called or texted back," Yuri informed Mai while pulling her phone from her pocket to check the time. "Do you know if she's working today?"  
"I don't remember if she said," Mai answered. "Only one way to find out…"

Yuri watched as Mai nimbly sprung to her feet, plucked her phone from the top of the nearby television console, and began navigating her contacts. She tapped the screen twice and sat down next to Yuri: The pair waited expectantly as the line rang. Two rings.

Three.

Four.

And then:

"...What's up?"  
"Kingy!" Mai exclaimed. "Kingy, I heard what happened — can you talk to us?!"  
"'Us?'"  
"Yuri's here, too."  
"Hi, Céccy," Yuri said with a wave despite not being on a video call.  
"Oh. Hey. I'm out so it's not a good time."  
"Oh. Well… are you doing okay?" Mai inquired, her tone a little cautious.

Yuri could hear King draw in a very deep breath from wherever she was. Knowing her she was probably pressing her lips together because she _always_ did that for whatever reason.

"I've been better," came King's reply. She sounded tired; robotic even. "But I'm with Jean right now, so can we just talk later?"  
"Y-yeah!"  
"Of course!"  
"Thanks…"  
"Okay, bye Kingy!"

With that, Mai ended the call. She placed her hands in her lap and shot Yuri a pointed look.

"She's _really_ upset."  
"So am I, thanks to Mary," Yuri huffed, her brother's beating still fresh in her mind.  
"Oh, forget about her for a second," Mai told her with a well-timed eye-roll. "We should do something nice for Kingy!"  
"Like what?"  
"Hmmmmm…."

Mai fidgeted with the tape measure as she thought carefully, her brow furrowed.

"Normally I'd want to make a nice dress for her, but —"  
"But we helped her _burn_ all of her skirts and dresses after…"  
"Yeah, so that's no good."

Both women stopped talking so they could each give it some real thought. Something nice for King that would take her mind off of things… what would that be? She'd dig a bottle of fancy wine, but Yuri really didn't want to enable her drinking, as she had used alcohol as something of a coping mechanism way too much since the kidnapping and was consciously trying to cut back. So that wouldn't work…

"Ooh, I know!" Mai suddenly declared.  
"What?"  
"We bring her some roses and junk food, and have an old-school sleepover! Movies and popcorn and all that stuff! Take her mind off of it and show her that she's loved no matter what!"

Yuri considered Mai's suggestion and quickly realized that there was a fantastic way to expand on it.

"I can bring her some of my 'medication!' She gets all giggly and relaxed, and she _needs_ that right now!"  
"But what happens when it wears off?" Mai asked seriously. "I mean… it doesn't change the fact that your brother said what he said, and crush or no crush, that's still really insensitive. It's going to stick with her no matter what we do you know..."  
"I know," Yuri replied sadly. "But…"  
"But you know what?" Mai said after just a moment, "We'll be there to remind her that she's a dynamite gal!"

Yuri snickered at Mai's enthusiasm, but instantly fell quiet. King had gone through so much — she had come really far, and she was actually okay on most days (now) — but being thought of in such a negative light by someone she had kindasorta been into on some level was definitely going to have an effect on her. However, there was no doubt in Yuri's mind that, with a little gentle reassurance from her friends, she would overcome this little hiccup, too, and when she did… not only would she be stronger, but she'd probably kick Ryo's ass herself.

Dynamite gal indeed.

* * *

_I think this chapter is pretty straightforward but here's some stuff just in case:_

_* Mai canonically listens to heavy metal music._  
_* One of Mai's hobbies is making dresses, hence the tape measure over her shoulders. A little factoid here is when she becomes manic ("Kingverse" Mai has bipolar disorder) she can bang out an entire dress or two in the span of a few hours._  
_* Another "off-screen" moment: After the events of MLS King had Mai and Yuri help her literally burn any skirts or dresses she owned._  
_* Yuri's medication for those who are new: edibles! Even though she has a massive pain tolerance (like her brother and father), she gets severe migraines that even she can't really handle. Hence the more... natural remedies that she'll sometimes share with King for recreational use. (It's totally legal in Southtown okay.)_  
_* Dynamite Gal is just... Mai being cute, but that phrase is also used in the movie Wreck-It Ralph._

_Alright! That does it for this installment! For all you Mai fans wondering where she's been: there. There she is. She's been chillin' at home. With cramps._

_Until next time! Cheers~_


	4. Jean: Solace

**This chapter shouldn't break anyone's brains on any level. If it does, relax; go get some lavender and eucalyptus or something. Also, I don't think anyone has ever written from this kid's POV before...? Correct me if I'm wrong.**

**Also, for those in the back: "JAN" IS A MISTRANSLATION OF JEAN. I don't care if he's referred to as Jan in the American releases. SNK took its mistake and ran with it to save face. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.**

**Onward~**

* * *

A loud heavy metal song blasted from the pocket of Jean Levasseur's older sister, which startled him and nearly caused him to jump out of his seat. He watched as his sibling fished her phone from her pocket: the music was drawing stares from the people at the next table over (who looked _very_ offended) but she didn't seem to notice or care as she absently stared down at the screen, which displayed a photo of one of the most beautiful women Jean had the pleasure of being acquainted with.

"Are you gonna get that, or…?"

Without a word, his sister, who had been acting a little strangely, reluctantly answered the call.

"...What's up?"

Jean watched her carefully; she looked so pale and exhausted: He knew she worked the closing shift at her bar the night before, but the paleness of her skin and the dark circles under her eyes told him that she had barely slept after work; hell, she might not have slept at all. He was honestly surprised that she hadn't crashed the car on the way to the restaurant because, despite their conversations, it was _damn_ obvious that her thoughts were somewhere else. As he continued to observe her she further proved his musings correct when she pressed her lips together in a thin line, which she always did when something was bothering her — or if something was just on her mind in general, really — and drew in a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the salt shaker.

"I've been better," she told the caller flatly. There was a very brief pause before she said, a little more animatedly, "But I'm with Jean right now, so can we just talk later?"

Another pause.

"Thanks..."

Just like that, the call was over. She stowed her phone, placed her elbows on the table (Aunt Maddy would have a fit if she saw that), and rested her chin in her hands.

"So," she said with a smile that wasn't _quite_ earnest, "where were we?"  
"We were at the part where you tell me what the fresh hell is going on with you," Jean huffed while crossing his arms.  
"Nothing's going on. I'm fine."  
"Céc."  
"Jean," his sister responded without even the tiniest bit of emotion.

The siblings fell quiet as they stared at one another, Jean's expression determined while his sister's was just… not. He squinted at her (she squinted back), plucked a french fry from his plate, and threw it at her. Her reflexes instantly kicked in and she quickly moved her head so that the starchy missile flew past her face — and bounced off the shoulder of one of the people seated at the table behind her.

"Oh, shit," Jean blurted: He sunk down in his seat while the random stranger let out a startled gasp.

"I am _so_ sorry," Céc started as she turned around. The other customer assured her that it was fine — no harm, no foul — but she apologized profusely anyway. Finally, she turned back to Jean… and let out a quiet giggle that she had clearly been holding in, which made him feel accomplished. Whatever was bothering her couldn't be _too_ bad if he managed to make her laugh.

At least, he hoped, because she was a _really_ good liar, and though he did possess an almost uncanny ability to see straight through her, she had fooled him a few times before. However, in this case it was _very_ clear that something was on her mind. He started to think of ways to get her to just _talk_ to him, but she spoke up first.

"I asked about school but you never told me how it was going."

Jean made a face; he had managed to avoid this subject earlier, but maybe if he answered _her_ questions honestly she would be more willing to answer _his_…? He took a deep breath; his sister wasn't like Aunt Maddy or Uncle Gary so she wouldn't get _too_ mad. Maybe...

"I have a D in science, and I got an F on my last math quiz."

Céc narrowed her eyes, her expression stern.

"I know that middle school is bullshit," she started, her tone almost uncharacteristically harsh, "but you need to bring those grades up! Got it?!"  
"I will," Jean assured her. "...if you tell me what's wrong with you."  
"Um, no. That's not how this works."  
"How _does_ it work, then?"  
"You leave it alone."

Not one to just drop things — especially when it came to his sibling — Jean stared at her from across the table, his jaw set while he thought of what to say to get her to open up. Maybe reverse psychology would work?

"Fine then. Don't tell me," he remarked.  
"Okay."

Jean raised his eyebrows (man, was _that_ was a failure) as Céc took one bite of her salad; she chewed slowly as she began using her fork to haphazardly poke at the food. She wasn't attempting to take more: she was just... _stabbing_ random bits of lettuce and croutons, her face unreadable as she did her lip thing again. Finally she stopped and let out a sigh.

"Fine."  
"Fine what?"  
"I'll tell you," Céc stated with a shrug.  
"Really?!"  
"Sure. I mean... why not."

Pleased with himself for somehow managing to get her to give in, Jean flashed a smile that instantly faded when something very off-putting occurred to him. He wrinkled his nose and asked, "...Is it a weird sex thing?"

The face Céc made could only be described as "epic." Her eyes went wider than Jean had seen them in a long time and her cheeks flushed a violent shade of pink.

"NO," she yelled, drawing the attention of the next table once more. He was pretty sure he heard one of the patrons whisper something about nannies (people always thought Céc was his nanny) but he couldn't be too sure. He made a face at the person whispering before turning his attention back to his kin, who cleared her throat and said, much quieter, "No."

Unable to keep himself from laughing a little, Jean cleared his own throat.

"Good," he said. "Because if it is I don't wanna know."  
"You mean you don't want to know about all about the things I do in my weird sex dungeon?"  
"Ew," Jean shuddered before throwing another french fry, intensely repulsed by the thought of his sister doing _anything_ sexual in _any_ capacity _ever_. (It was bad enough that he knew about… that one _really_ jacked up thing...)

Instead of dodging the soaring fry Céc caught it and ate it, a _genuine_ smile on her face. Jean narrowed his eyes as she laughed from her place on the other side of the table.

"So _is_ it a weird sex thing?" He asked bluntly.  
"Of course not!"  
"So…?"  
"Someone thinks that I'm…" she trailed off then, her eyes suddenly full of sadness.  
"Céc…?"  
"You know what? Maybe it _is_ kind of a weird sex thing after all…"

Jean quirked a brow, curious about what was going on. Confident that Céc wouldn't dare tell him anything gross, he tilted his head to the side and shot her a sympathetic look.

"You can still tell me," he asserted, though he was a little hesitant.  
"It's nothing… explicit," his sister mumbled. "It's just… a friend… said something to me — _thinks_ something _about_ me — that's really fucked up. Even though… I saw this coming it still hurts to actually _hear_. And it's still pretty fresh."  
"What'd they say?" Jean inquired, now _incredibly_ curious.  
"It doesn't matter. I'll get over it."  
"Okay, well, who was it? Do _I_ know them?"  
"Don't worry about it, nosy."

At that, Jean furrowed his brow. Whatever was said must have been really upsetting if it was making Céc act so odd. He wanted to ask more questions, but he had a feeling that doing so would just make things worse instead of better, so the two finished their respective meals, though curiosity lingered in the back of Jean's mind. Céc had been through a lot of things... a lot of things that seriously messed her up for awhile. He really, truly hoped that what was bothering her didn't have anything to do with what happened to her all those months ago because, if it did, it could make her have a relapse, and he hated seeing her like… _that_. Nevertheless, he took mental notes on every single one of her mannerisms and decided that it was probably better if he didn't pry.

* * *

_As always, you know the drill:_

_First off, trying to nail Jean's perspective was a little tricky, as I have never been a 12-year old boy, nor have I really been around that many (girls on the other hand...). So, hopefully he came off as genuine and believable. And referring to King as, well, NOT King was also a little challenging as well. I really hope I won't have to retcon this ever LOL_

_* __Mai's ringtone in King's phone is Lotion by Deftones. The band itself isn't metal, but Chino screaming for four minutes can totally be put in that category..._  
_* Aunt Maddy and Uncle Gary: Jean's legal guardians; Maddy is his (and King's) biological aunt; Gary is the uncle by marriage (both are HC'd by me of course)_  
_* Before you say anything about kids: YES, they know what reverse psychology is. I asked a group in this age range and they all thought I was a stupid asshole for asking them in the first place._  
_* Jean knows about the rape, as he found King's medical records (and a pamphlet about sexual assault) among her belongings in Oxygen to Breathe (in case you're new or forgot)_

_Okay! I think that covers this chapter! Two more to go (unless I get any other ideas...)! Who else has been affected by Ryo's thoughts/feels about King? Any guesses? Let me know in that nice little rectangular box below (or Tweet at me if that's more your speed). Cheers!_


	5. Athena: Running Up That Hill

**Awww, shit son! Look who's back in Kingverse! Onward~!**

* * *

The Kyokugen School of Karate was unusually quiet, noted the famous idol singer and quasi-psychic, Athena Asamiya, who, despite feeling a healthy amount of jet lag after a ten hour flight from Japan to the US, decided that she would drop in and surprise her good friend, Yuri Sakazaki, whom she hadn't seen in person for several months.

With a huge yawn, Athena stood in the school's entryway for just a moment, confused by the lack of life. These were normal operating hours, but no one was around and it was a little strange. However, if she listened closely she could hear the sounds of what she guessed was a punching bag swinging back and forth: clinking metal alternating with the sound of hard thuds issued from somewhere above her.

And, so, curiosity piqued, Athena cautiously krept up the stairs leading up to the actual workout area and peered through the doorway to see Yuri's brother, Ryo, beating the holy hell out of a punching bag, his left hand held close to his body. Upon further inspection Athena could see that two of his fingers were splinted and bandaged together, but, despite the injury, he was clearly hyper-focused on his task (hitting the bag with his good hand), his eyes narrowed and full of something that, despite her ability to _feel_ things, Athena couldn't really place. Was it determination? Anger?

Nevertheless, Athena stood in the doorway for another eighteen seconds before the older Sakazaki took his eyes away from the bag and noticed her. He appeared momentarily startled, but his expression instantly changed from one of consternation to one that was open and friendly.

"Athena! Hey! I didn't know you were coming to town?"  
"Hi, Ryo! Press tour," she asserted with a shrug before asking, "How are you?"

At that, Ryo made a face. He took a deep breath and raised his eyebrows.

"I'm good. Hey, listen, Yuri's not here — I think she's running around with Mai or something, I dunno."  
"...Oh," Athena said. She squinted up at Ryo, thoughtful, as she placed her hand on her chin. "Forgive me, but you don't _seem_ good."  
"It's fine," Ryo told her while lowering himself onto a nearby floor mat. "Really. Just a… very… eventful day."  
"'Eventful…?'"  
"Yeah..."  
"You know, even without my powers I can tell that something's on your mind," Athena stated.  
"Well, yeah, but it's really not for you to get involved with."  
"Are you sure? Maybe I could help?"  
"Probably not."  
"You're not even going to let me try, are you?"  
"It's just… kind of… complicated."  
"How so?"

Ryo didn't say anything; instead, he fidgeted with the tape over his bandaged fingers and winced.

"Are they broken?" Athena asked.  
"Yeah, but the breaks aren't _bad_. They're just enough to fuck up my shit," Ryo explained. He grimaced and quickly added, "Excuse my language."  
"No, no, you're fine. And I can try to heal them if you want. If the breaks aren't bad it'll be a piece of cake. Besides, I've fixed more complex problems in the past."  
"Well, I mean —"

Athena closed her eyes before Ryo could finish his sentence and focused her energy on his two fingers for just a brief second; a faint purple glow enveloped his entire hand, and then immediately dissipated, as if it hadn't even been there in the first place.

"There. Good as new," Athena declared. "Try to move them."

Puzzled, Ryo slowly removed the wrapping and the splints from his fingers. He flexed them several times with the appearance of someone who had literally had their mind blown.

"Th-thanks!"  
"You're welcome!" Athena beamed. She paused and then asked, "How'd you break them?"  
"I had a run-in with the law."  
"Oh, no! Is everything okay?"  
"You know what?" Ryo took a deep breath. "It's not."  
"If you don't mind my asking... _why_ isn't everything okay?"

Ryo ran his hands through his hair and let out a sort of frustrated grunt that turned into a defeated sigh.

"I recently found out something about somebody… and… I dunno. It makes me… it changes things."  
"Do I know this somebody?" Athena prodded innocently as she took a seat on the raised platform near Ryo, though, thanks to her intuition, she already had a pretty good idea of who "somebody" was.

"Not… very well… I don't think," Ryo answered. He glanced at Athena, and it was clear that something very important occurred to him. She quirked a brow when he muttered, "...before Asamiya went and pulled this shit straight out of my head…"

There was a very brief pause before Ryo's eyes went wide — _very_ wide — and he did a double take.

"You know!" he exclaimed.  
"Eh? Know what?!"  
"About King! About what happened to her!" Ryo crowed. "Don't you?!"

Athena's expression changed from curious to pained. Yes, she _did_ know about what happened to King; hell, she had _seen_ it (or at least part of it) thanks to a burgeoning ability she didn't fully understand. She was privy to all of the sadness, and anger, and pain that came with the secret King had been keeping, not only through that single glance into her psyche, but through actually talking with her at length. Months earlier she told Athena that she wasn't ready to own her assault, and, sadly, it looked like she might have had to do it once again anyway.

"I, uhh…" Athena faltered, unsure of what to say in case Ryo didn't know the whole story.  
"She said you 'pulled' something out of her head," he continued. "That she was fine before you did that…"  
"Well, I mean… uhh… I don't… have… that kind of ability… per se."  
"But she told you."

It wasn't a question.

"She never would have told me if I hadn't… I mean… I kind of… _saw_ something," Athena admitted with a sigh.  
"'_Saw_' something? As in you read her mind?"  
"I… kinda…?"  
"But I thought you couldn't read minds."  
"I can't," Athena answered. "Not… not usually, but something just… happened. Master has been trying to help me understand and control it, but, so far, no dice."

Ryo didn't say anything — just looked at Athena very carefully. She met his gaze and instantly honed in on just how perturbed he actually was.

"So… what changed?" she ventured.  
"I don't know if I should get into it. I think it's probably pretty personal stuff..."  
"I just told you that I kindasortabutnotreally 'witnessed' a _rape_. I think that if it's something personal about _her_, I should be fine because it doesn't really get any more personal than that. And if I'm not, I'll deal with that later. If it's about _you_, well… you don't have to say anymore."

Ryo sighed while Athena placed her hands in her lap and looked at him expectantly. Which one was it?

"She's… done things," Ryo finally divulged.  
"'Things?'"  
"Yeah — things. Things that I don't really agree with. And not only is _she_ upset about it, but a lot of other people are, too."  
"I don't understand," Athena remarked. She furrowed her brow, curious about what kind of things King could have done that Ryo didn't agree with. Maybe it had something to do with her past working in the mob? Or maybe it had something to do with that _other_ memory she saw: King and Vanessa kissing. Surely that's something Ryo wouldn't agree with, either…?

"Tell me something," Ryo said, interrupting Athena's thoughts.  
"What?"  
"You and Kensou… don't laugh, but let's say Kensou was with a few girls before you. How do you think you'd feel knowing that?"

Athena couldn't _help_ but laugh: _Sie_? With a _few_ girls? She almost couldn't process it. She continued to giggle almost uncontrollably but stopped herself when she saw how serious Ryo's expression was.

"Sorry," she apologized. "It's just… the thought of Sie with… a _bunch_ of other girls is just… funny! I'm so sorry!"  
"Okay, yeah, I'm not gonna lie, it _is_ kinda funny… But, seriously, though — how would you feel?"  
"To be honest I never thought about it…"  
"Well think about it now."  
"...I guess… it would be a little weird? I dunno… it's not like he's ever been some sort of Cassanova in the first place, so I can't really answer that question."

Ryo set his jaw as he fidgeted uncomfortably. He looked down and exhaled.

"You know what, though?" He started after a moment of silence, "I feel that people should be… selective when it comes to… those things. Not just… willing to go all over the place with whoever whenever."  
"O...kay?"  
"I guess… what I'm trying to say is… there's a certain… integrity… that should be upheld."  
"'Integrity?' You mean, like… having standards…?"  
"Something like that."  
"So… you're saying Miss King doesn't have standards?"

Athena watched as Ryo furrowed his brow. He was _visibly_ struggling to reconcile whatever was bouncing around in his head with what he actually wanted to say.

"It's not that she _doesn't_… but… our beliefs about certain topics just don't line up. I think that women should try to be with as _few_ men as possible. They should stay… as... 'innocent' as they can until they find that special someone."  
"Ummm… Miss King is a reformed _criminal_. Of course she's not innocent."  
"That's not what… I'm not talking about _that_. I'm talking about… her… ummm… _other_ choices."  
"'Other choices.'"  
"Yes."  
"You mean…"

Athena trailed off as realization metaphorically smacked her upside the head, making her feel very stupid for not processing Ryo's words and phrasing correctly. Innocence, standards, choices… _things_. _Those_ things.

...Things that really shouldn't be talked about like this.

"I just… don't understand how someone like King could just —" Ryo gesticulated wildly — "_go_ with people. For her to do those things with _several_ others is just… off-putting."

Athena wrinkled her nose: Sure, the idea of someone sleeping around _was_ off-putting, and it was something that she personally could never do herself. However, who did what in their bed really wasn't her business to begin with. Aside from that, she knew in her heart of hearts that King wasn't the type to just do those kinds of things, so for Ryo to feel like this — _after_ finding out about the assault could only mean...

"Ryo," Athena stated very seriously. "Are you counting… that? As… as her…?"  
"Not… exactly? I mean… there were others… before..."  
"'Others?' And what do you mean 'not exactly?' Either you do you don't!"  
"Okay… I _do_."  
"Does Miss King know that?"

Ryo didn't say anything — just nodded his head.

At that, Athena's eyes went wide and she thought back to her _own _experience: If she hadn't been able to stop the man who attacked her… and it got out of control… and then _Sie _considered him as somebody she was just… with? That would be devastating! Hearing that Ryo felt that way about King made Athena feel like she had been punched in the gut — which was probably nothing compared to what King herself must have felt. What she must have _been_ feeling. Insulted, and hurt, and... _insulted_!

"That wasn't her fault, though!" Athena cried in disbelief. "As her friend — as a _person_ — you can't hold such a thing against her!"  
"And I don't!"  
"So then why are you put off?! Do you really feel that that… monster… was someone she just… _went _with?!"

Ryo didn't answer, which was actually kind of horrifying and Athena really hoped it was because he was simply trying to find the right words. When he didn't respond she went on.

"I think you need a little perspective…"  
"How do you mean?"  
"There's nothing wrong with having your beliefs, but to look down on her for something that she didn't… you mentioned her other choices. But she _didn't_ have a _choice_, Ryo! Surely you can understand that!"  
"And I _do_. But it doesn't change the fact that it happened. It happened, and she's different now. She's…"  
"But she's _not_ different! At her core she's still the same person, regardless of who did what to her or what she's done — _willingly_ — in her bedroom! You really need to apologize for telling her something so terrible!"  
"I was being honest, though!"  
"Maybe so but it was very insensitive! And I bet it made her feel shitty! Not a little bad, or sad, or crappy, but _shitty_! You need to apologize to her ayy-sap, and maybe rethink how you look at such things in general because there's no black and white here, Ryo! This is a gray area and if you're really her friend? You'll see that. Now —" Athena stood and picked up her purse — "if Yuri's not here then I should go."

Ryo looked up at her, a frown on his face.

"You look like you have something more to say," Athena observed.  
"It's just… I don't know if I can truly see it the way everyone _wants_ me to," Ryo maintained.  
"You mean the way that it _is_? That, yes, even though he was technically another body she didn't do it willingly and, therefore, holding _her_ accountable for it is wrong?"  
"No, I know she didn't do it willingly, but it's still —"  
"Why do you even care who she sleeps with?" Athena interrupted. "She doesn't have to answer to you — or _anyone_ — when it comes to that."  
"Yeah, I know. But it just kinda… freaks me out, I guess."

Athena stared down at Ryo, pensive, as she thought about the situation, and how mystifying his stance on his friend's personal life actually was. He was being so judgy toward King, and for what? Why? Something occurred to her then — something important; something that would maybe make him _see_, and, hopefully, shut this whole thing down.

"You know what?" she contended. "Now it's time for _you_ to tell _me_ something."  
"...What?" Ryo asked cautiously.  
"What if it was Yuri?"  
"Come again?"  
"Yuri went through her own ordeal but was lucky enough to come out of it unharmed. What if she hadn't? Would you think of _her_ the same way you're thinking of Miss King? That she was just... _with_ someone?"

A loaded, uncomfortable silence set in while Ryo thought about it. When he didn't say anything Athena closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh.

"Ryo Sakazaki," she exacted, her tone despondent, "You have a lot to learn."

With that, Athena turned on her heel and walked away, the _feel_ of Ryo's conflicted emotions, his stubbornness, and his actual words leaving her completely demoralized.

* * *

_Alright, where to start...? Because we just got some insight into Ryo's thoughts and feels... from Ryo himself! Was Robert right about him being a Puritanical ass? You tell me. Anyway:_

_* I called Athena a "quasi-psychic" because being a true psychic entails abilities she doesn't have: seeing the future, for example. When you break it down she's a super empath with telekinetic abilities. Plus healing and healing factor._  
_* If you look at the Kyokugen stage in KOF XIII it's obvious that the training room isn't ground level, as you can see the tops of buildings outside the window_  
_* More "complex problems" Athena has healed in the past were her broken bones in Hurt (this included her spine)_  
_* The "flash" Athena is referring to (when she saw King's memories) occurred in Hurt, but was also seen in the KOF: Kyo graphic novel, when she unwittingly taps into Iori's psyche._  
_* Athena accidentally pulled several memories from King's head (as you know if you've been going here awhile) but the two referred to here are the rape (derp) and a little bit of her time with Vanessa (Red Chapter 2)._  
_* In this continuity Athena and Kensou are actually together. Fight me. (Also, she calls him by his first name whereas everyone else calls him Kensou.)_  
_* The experience Athena is thinking/referring to is from Rex Madison's fic, Power, in which she's kidnapped by the Yakuza and tortured. She was able to stop her attacker though, in a very... well, go read it if you haven't._

_Okay, that puts a lid on this chapter. One more to go, unless I have some weird, hypomanic rush of "WHAT ABOUT THIS PERSON AND THIS PERSON AND..."_

_Tell me what's on your mind! Cheers~_


	6. Vanessa: Abnormally Attracted To Sin

**Welp. It happened. I got hit with... something, and, much like an unplanned pregnancy, this chapter came screaming into the world. Anyway, congrats to RobertCop3 and Rex Madison for guessing who this chapter would be about with only the title to work with. You get... satisfaction! Maybe a doodle of your respective bae(s) if I get bored, Idk.**

**Onward~**

* * *

"You're fucken ridiculous."

The boxer-slash-housewife-slash-mercenary agent named Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest and gave her friend and very occasional co-worker, Mary Ryan, a supremely disapproving look. Mary, however, didn't seem at all fazed as she trudged out of the Southtown PD building, jacket slung over her shoulder, her gun conspicuously absent from her shoulder holster.

"You're the best," the detective sang with an infectious smile.  
"Yeah, well, Seth and I had to pull a lot of strings to get you out of this little mess with _just_ a suspension. Right, Seth?"

Vanessa's partner, a very quiet, very intimidating man (who was actually a big teddy bear) nodded at Mary.

"A lotta strings," he confirmed.  
"I owe you guys," Mary told the duo as she pulled them into a hug.  
"Damn right, you do," Vanessa said while she wriggled out of the smaller woman's grasp. She took a moment to _really_ look at her and frowned.

"You look like hell," she observed before turning to Seth, who was casually smoothing his clothes. "Doesn't she look like hell?!"  
"Doesn't she always?"  
"I'm right here you know."  
"Girl, I'm just playing," Seth said with a wry smile.  
"I'm not," Vanessa remarked.  
"Well, do you wanna just play over some drinks?" Mary asked, ignoring Vanessa's comment. "I could really use some hard liquor right now…"

Vanessa pulled her phone out of the inside pocket of her blazer to check the time.

"Well… kiddo's with the grandparents for a few more hours and hubs thinks I'm off at the gym so… yeah. I can get a drink. Seth?"

The large man shook his head.

"Nah," he said. "Gotta get home to the wifey so we can keep marathoning The Circle. She'll kill me if we don't get at least three episodes in tonight."  
"You poor bastard..."  
"Next time, then?" Mary called to Seth as he started walking away.  
"Next time," he replied with a salute before casually making his way down the steps toward the street.

Once he disappeared Vanessa turned back to Mary and furrowed her brow. This wasn't the first time she had to help her out of a tight spot thanks to her tendency toward brutality when things got personal. And, evidently, things had gotten personal.

...Again.

"What were you thinking?" She asked the detective matter-of-factly.

Mary put on her jacket and pushed a lock of chin-length hair behind her ear.

"I _wasn't_ thinking. You know how it goes when I get like that."  
"But why did you get like that in the first place? Terry doesn't need you to fight his battles for him, you know!" Vanessa scolded.  
"It's not about Terry," Mary stated.  
"Then who the hell are you risking your career and your freedom for?! If not Terry, then _who_ is so important to you that you would —"  
"King."

Vanessa instantly froze at the mention of the fighter and bartender whom she had had a short, but wholly satisfying fling with when it looked like she was on the cusp of getting a divorce. She hadn't been around King one-on-one since they ended their… _thing_, but she had seen her in passing: In the stands during the last King of Fighters, or across a crowded room (that was also at KOF, wasn't it?) where all they could do was smile and wave, almost as if nothing ever happened between them. Honestly, it was a little sad; despite her intensity and somewhat imposing presence King was actually a very sweet woman, and if things had worked out differently Vanessa would have considered pursuing an _actual_ relationship with her… but she was younger… and, quite frankly, the very definition of "disaster bi." Of course, that wasn't her fault; PTSD did things to people — did things to _her_. However, much like Terry Bogard, she, too, was capable of fighting her own battles.

Wasn't she?

Suddenly worried, Vanessa placed her hands in her pockets and looked at Mary intently.

"What happened to King?" she probed, maybe a little too aggressively if Mary's expression was any indication.  
"Okay, Pushy," the cop stated while sitting down on the cool, concrete steps. She zipped up her jacket and wrapped her arms around herself, as the temperature was rapidly dropping now that the sun was going down. Vanessa stood over her and waited.

"Well…?" she asked when Mary didn't say anything.  
"Oh, sorry. I was just zoning. Anyway."  
"'Anyway' what?"  
"King is… my totally platonic lady-bro-soulmate. You know that, right?"  
"I think you made that very clear when you threatened to break both my legs if I did anything that would hurt her," Vanessa answered with a smirk.  
"I'm _protective_," Mary said nonchalantly.  
"Okay, great, so you're protective. Got it. But how does being protective lead to an off-duty officer assaulting someone at a bar in the middle of the day? In fact, who the hell got you so riled up in the first place? And how does King even fit into it?"  
"Sakazaki," Mary growled.

Vanessa quirked a brow.

"You mean Karate Guy?"  
"Yep," Mary replied. She opened her mouth to continue speaking but stopped: She looked toward the sky, thoughtful, before setting her pale eyes on Vanessa's face.

"Exactly how much do you know about King?"  
"Huh?"  
"What do you know about her? Aside from the stuff you found when you were snooping."

Thanks to the aforementioned snooping, Vanessa knew quite a _lot_ about King; Seth helped her find any and everything she could on the enigmatic woman: Her real name, her place of birth, her social, her driver's license number, her rap sheet — to name just a few things. Obviously she didn't know _everything_ about her, but she definitely knew enough to at least partially solve the mystery that _was_ King. Hell… she was even willing to bet that she probably knew some… things… that Mary didn't. Like how she —

"I don't mean _that_ stuff, you nasty heifer," Mary stated with a cheeky grin. Vanessa felt heat creep into her neck and spread to her cheeks as she cleared her throat. Blue Mary was Southtown PD's best detective for a reason…

"What I mean is… like… I know that you know that she was—"  
"Hurt," Vanessa interrupted curtly, unable to bring herself to say the actual word. "Someone... 'hurt' her. So you shot him."  
"Damn right I did. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."  
"I don't doubt that."  
"No, but for real, though," Mary went on, "I know you two didn't do that much _real_ talking, you dirty birdies, but did she tell you anything about _what_ happened to her?"  
"She told me —" Vanessa held up her hand so she could use her fingers to count — "her scar was from a pistol… that she was damaged… that she was broken and couldn't be fixed… but she never actually went into detail about the attack."

Mary nodded her head, her features revealing a deep sadness that must have been bubbling beneath the surface for a long time.

"The gun thing really got to her. I mean, obviously _all_ of it did, but being held at gunpoint definitely messed with her head because if it hadn't been for that, she would have gone to town on those guys. She actually broke… _his_ nose before she was grabbed by his accomplice."  
"There were two of them?!" Vanessa asked, horrified.  
"Yeah," Mary responded, "But only the one… Anyway, like, it's been a minute since you guys had your thing, so… she's in a better place now — way better. But sometimes she still thinks of herself as damaged or broken… It sucks."

Vanessa frowned: As hard as it had been for _her_ to see and hear someone like King talk so badly about herself, it was probably a million times worse for Mary, who she knew loved her dearly. The friendship the two had was so wholesome and adorable, but the fact of the matter was that Mary had flipped her shit and attacked someone who was — as far as Vanessa knew — good friends with King.

But _why_?

"So… what did Sakazaki _ do _ that warranted your wrath?"  
"Okay, let me preface this by saying that I _ know _ I overreacted —"  
"You think?!"  
"— and I really should have been more rational —"  
"Yes, you should have! Because now you're suspended — _again_! — which means that —"  
"Bitch, let me talk!"  
"Then _ talk _ , bitch!"

Both women chuckled despite their harsh words.

"Okay," Mary continued, "So Sakazaki found out about the incident and pretty much told King that she's damaged goods —"  
"_What_?!"  
" — because his beliefs about sex and women are old and out of date and I get that his upbringing has a lot to do with that but he actually fed her a line about being with 'too many men' —"  
"'Too many men?!'"  
" — and I just… I just snapped when I saw him because… I mean… when she gets hit with those intrusive thoughts about being _broken_ and _damaged_?! It's tough to see, and I _refuse_ to let him or his words bring her down again, 'Nes!"  
"So… you ambushed him at Pao Pao."  
"If he hadn't swept my leg I would've just talked some shit and left after I stunned him. He brought it on himself!"  
"Ummm. Eye witnesses said you _fired_ your _gun_."  
"Yeah — at a few liquor bottles behind the counter!"

With a sigh Vanessa lowered herself onto the steps next to Mary.

"How is King doing then? Have you talked to her since…?"  
"I saw her after everything between _her_ and Ryo went down. Poor bb was so wound up. I brought her some of my xanny to help her relax a bit."  
"You're still using that shit?" Vanessa asked, concerned for her friend.  
"Not that much lately."

Vanessa made a face.

"So... you haven't actually _seen_ King since all of this happened?"  
"I called her right before I came here — left her a message explaining the situation. I probably have a very aggressive voicemail from her."

Now _Mary_ made a face as she stared off at something across the street. Meanwhile, Vanessa stared down at her shoes (the shiny leather still looked brand new), all sorts of questions about King on her mind. She wondered if, maybe, she should shoot her a text… or, better yet, go visit her at Illusion: After all, being told something like what Sakazaki told her had probably been something of a mindfuck. And it had been such a long time since she talked to her: A nice, friendly visit wouldn't be a bad thing, though, if she was being totally honest with herself, there was a possibility that she would end up inviting the captivating woman to her home for a threesome with her and her husband…

...before getting knocked out by a swift kick to the head.

"I guess I can see why you did what you did," Vanessa said while she curbed her lewd train of thought. "King is a very special lady."  
"She is! And she doesn't deserve to be brought down over something she had no control over!"  
"No, I understand. Honestly, if he said that in front of me I would have clocked him. Hell, I still might."  
"There's no need, 'Nes," Mary told her. "He got the point."  
"If you say so..."

Vanessa propped her elbows on her knees so that she could rest her chin in her hands. She glanced at Mary, who appeared so... _depressed_. She really hoped she wasn't headed toward one of her spells...

"Why the long face, Ryan?" she asked gently.  
"I'm just tired. It's been a long day."  
"I bet," Vanessa told her. "You still up for that drink?"  
"Oh, totally," Mary affirmed, her face brightening up a little. "But Richard's probably pissed so we're gonna have to go to Illusion. You down for that?"  
"I — yeah," Vanessa replied, suddenly a little enthused at the prospect of seeing King again sooner rather than later. "Yeah. I'd like that, actually. A nice, tall beer —"  
"A _blonde_?" Mary interrupted with a cackle.

Vanessa softly punched her companion's arm, though she had to admit that that was a good one.

"Hush," she told her. "I prefer stouts."  
"Whatever," Mary said with a grin. "She's not gonna be there anyway."  
"What?"  
"King. She has the night off."  
"Oh."

Vanessa frowned while Mary shot her a devilish sort of grin.

"You seem disappointed…!"  
"Well, it would have been nice to see her again," Vanessa answered coolly.  
"Sure. You know, if I didn't know any better I would think that you're still attracted to her."

Vanessa raised her eyebrows and flashed a coy smile while she brought an index finger up to her lips.

"Shhhh..."

* * *

_So now we know how Mary keeps skating by the authorities: her connections! Let's go~!_

_* The Circle is a reality show on Netflix that revolves around this weird social media experiment. I don't feel like explaining it so just Google it, okay? It premiered in January 2020, so you can sort of ascertain the timeline involved around this fic, as well as Pins and Needles (New Year's), Well Enough Alone (a little after New Year's), and xanny (which was the early morning hours of this one if you didn't quite catch that)._  
_* If you're new, King and Vanessa got very friendly with one another during the fic, Red, which saw King in the middle of a relapse and Vanessa having unspecified marital problems._  
_* Karate Guy is what I, personally, call Ryo when I'm being a cheeky asshole._  
_* During Red, Vanessa enlists Seth's help to dig up all the information she can on King because she wants to know more about her. She confessed to King, which resulted in a blow up that turned into something else entirely but you should KNOW THIS ALREADY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?_  
_* King was kidnapped at gunpoint, which is what kickstarted Much Like Suffocating. She's a Muay Thai expert, not a super hero, and, thus, cannot stop bullets._  
_* Mary is prone to bouts of depression; her nickname of "Blue Mary" comes from the drink Butch made for her, but, also, because she gets The Sads™._


	7. King: Holding It Together

**You would think that, at the rate I put out the other chapters, this one would have been the easiest since it's such familiar territory for me. Alas. Anyway, here it is. More slice-of-life...ness. Hope you enjoy~**

* * *

"Oh, nooooo," the woman called King moaned under her breath as she quickly unlocked her front door. She sprinted into her apartment, hurled her keys in the general direction of the dining room table, and made her way to the bathroom as fast as she could, where she immediately pulled down her pants to see the exact thing she was dreading: blood. Blood everywhere.

"Putain," she growled while removing her bottoms completely. Her underwear was ruined, as there was no amount of peroxide that could get _that_ amount of blood off of the fabric, but, thankfully, her pants had somehow managed to dodge the crimson bullet. With a sigh, she went through the process of cleaning up and plugging up.

And, with that, King was officially _over_ her goddamned day: She had spent _way_ too much time preoccupied by her feelings about Ryo Sakazaki's changed opinion of her now that he knew she had been raped, then she found out that her best friend turned herself in to the authorities for assault, then she unwittingly made her brother worry about her well-being (_again_), and now she had started her period two days early, reducing one of her cuter pairs of underwear to a bloody rag sitting in the trash bin. These were all first world problems, of course… but they were still problems nonetheless.

With a shake of her head King started toward the kitchen, her cat, Marron, following close behind and meowing at an obscene volume, but stopped in her tracks when the doorbell rang. Curious, but also a little suspicious, she changed course, pivoting from the halfway point between her bedroom and the kitchen to the front door, where she looked through the peephole to see an unexpected sight.

"Kingy!"

Mai Shiranui happily exclaimed when King pulled the door open. She stood on the threshold wearing a parka over really frumpy pajamas, hair in a high, messy bun, and a messenger bag slung across her shoulder. She quickly shoved a bouquet of roses into King's hands before embracing her.

"Uhh, hi?" King said while looking past Mai. Yuri Sakazaki stood behind her, wearing a backpack and holding two paper shopping bags in her arms.

"Hey, Céccy!" she said brightly.  
"Hey?"

King stepped to the side so that her friends could enter the dwelling and closed the door, a little confused by her unexpected visitors, who looked like they were gearing up for some kind of trip.

"To what do I owe this visit?" She asked while looking down at the roses, which were adorned with baby's breath and fine glitter.

"Call in sick tomorrow," Mai commanded.  
"What? Why?"  
"Because _we_ are going to stay up all night and have an old-school slumber party! Movies! Popcorn! —" Mai grabbed one of King's hands and looked down at her nails with a slight frown — "Nail polish!"  
"But —"  
"No 'buts'," Yuri chimed in while she placed the grocery bags on the table. "We have butter popcorn, some chips, soda, beer for Mai, lots of ice cream, _and_ I brought gummy bears _and_ Peppermint Pattie bites!"  
"I… don't know what to say."  
"Then don't say anything," Mai told her. She shrugged out of her parka, turned around, and pulled King in for another hug, which was, as always, a little awkward because of their height difference.

"Yuri told me everything," Mai informed her. "You don't need to be concerned with what anyone thinks. Okay?"

"Is that what this is about?" King asked as she pulled away from Mai. "You guys are here to make me feel better about being thought of as —"  
"Well, that and we haven't done this in awhile," Yuri spoke up. She kneeled down to rummage through her backpack, which she had placed on the floor, her brow furrowed as she dug around one of the pockets.

"By the way, your bestie? Is a horrible human being and I'm gonna clobber her as soon as I get the chance!"

King sighed, unsurprised by Yuri's declaration of war. Mary had left a colourful voicemail detailing every bit of her skirmish at the Pao Pao Café — with _Ryo_ — earlier that day: A stun gun, an armbar, and some good, old-fashioned intimidation with a firearm — all typical Mary if she lost her temper, which wasn't very often at _all_. However, there was also a bit about Robert having to keep Yuri from jumping into the fray, which was incredibly brave of her (she was outright terrified of Mary for a myriad of reasons) but also incredibly stupid.

"Sounds like _you're_ the one who might need a peppermint," Mai joked.  
"I mean it, Céccy," Yuri continued as if she didn't even hear Mai, "If I see her —"  
"You're not going to do anything because you're going to drop it," King stated plainly.  
"But —!"  
"_Please_," King said while shooting Yuri a stern look. There was a very brief moment of loaded silence before the younger woman blenched under King's gaze. She averted her eyes and blew air out through her nostrils.

"Fine."  
"_Thank you._"  
"But you owe me!"  
"Fine. What do I owe you?" King asked, her brow quirked, as she crossed the area to find a vase for the roses.  
"I dunno. I'll get back to you on that."  
"It better not have anything to do with your brother," King grumbled as she stooped to open a cabinet on the far end of the kitchen.  
"Oh, no — I was just thinking, like… …Red Lobster or something."

Relieved, King gave a small smile as she pulled out a blue flower holder and filled it with water.

"I can live with that."  
"Speaking of dinner, have you eaten, Kingy?" Mai called from the armchair, where she had made herself comfortable.  
"Doesn't matter, Mai," Yuri spoke up before King, who was arranging the roses, could answer. "She's gonna want plenty of food later."

With that, she straightened up and walked over to King, a plastic bag in one hand, a small, metal tin in the other.

"Gummy bears or chocolate?" she asked with a grin.  
"I… don't know if I should," King responded as she weighed her options. It had been awhile since Yuri provided anything from her stash of medicinal cannabis; taking a little something would probably help with King's overall anxieties and the inevitable cramps that would hit her later, and it would be way easier on her system than alcohol, which she had been trying to cut back on. However, relying on drugs or liquor when she was stressed out was a very dangerous precedent.

"You should have some, Kingy," Mai remarked while turning on the television. "It might help you relax — and that's what you need right now: relaxation!"  
"She's right," Yuri added. "Now, which one?"  
"Neither," King answered.  
"Wait, really?" Mai asked from across the apartment.  
"Really. I can't get drunk or stoned every time I have a problem," King told her friends while turning to rummage through the grocery bags.  
"Okay. But it's here if you change your mind," Yuri said as she put the edibles away.

King nodded and pulled a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream from the bag.

"Is this…?"  
"That one's yours," Mai stated.  
"Awww," King said with a smile. She walked into the kitchen to grab a spoon and pop the lid off of the container. "You know me so well… Thank you!"  
"Don't mention it. Anything for our Kingy!"  
"Yeah," Yuri agreed as she began pulling the groceries out of the shopping bags. "We love you, Céccy, and we know that you're not, ummm…"  
"A slut?" King asked around a mouthful of cookie dough.  
"Even if you were we'd still love you anyway," Mai declared happily.

Yuri made a face at the same time that King, who was chewing on a few chocolate chips, threw a hand over her mouth to keep herself from spitting them out as something fantastic occurred to her. She quickly swallowed and took a breath before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"What's so funny…?" Yuri asked cautiously.  
"I just thought of something," King started, but was interrupted when the doorbell rang. She made a face; who was out there now?

"I'll get it," Yuri said. She went over to the door and looked through the peephole before taking a quick glance at King, who was watching curiously while she ate, and Mai, who was looking for a movie to stream.

"Who is it?" King inquired.

Without a word Yuri pulled the door open just a little and started having a hushed yet frenetic conversation with the person outside. King made out the phrase, "You shouldn't be here," which told her everything she needed to know. Ice cream carton in hand, she made her way over to where Yuri stood, pulled the door all the way open, and raised her eyebrows at Ryo Sakazaki, who had his hands in his jacket pockets, his expression mildly annoyed. His eyes widened when he saw King.

"Hey," he said quickly. "Can we talk?"  
"Sure," King responded with a tilt of her head.  
"...Alone?"

Ryo fixed his eyes on Yuri, who was standing directly in-between him and King; he gave her a look that said, "Scram," so she ducked down and slunk back into the dining area to finish putting the food away.

"Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of them," King dictated. She leaned on the doorframe and continued to eat.

"But —"  
"Would you like to talk or not?"

There was a long pause: King stood, casually eating her frozen treat while Ryo looked down at the floor and scowled. Finally, after what felt like a damn month, he spoke.

"I don't… agree with your lifestyle," he began. "But… maybe we should — I dunno — squash this."  
"I don't know if I can do that," King remarked, her tone almost eerily calm. "Your view of me — in the wake of an _assault_ — has fundamentally changed. And not for the better. You want to squash it? Fine. Learn that there's a huge difference between fucking someone for fun and _being_ fucked by someone because they want to hurt you. _Then_ we can squash it."

Ryo opened his mouth to respond but then closed it again. King, meanwhile, continued to eat. She waited for a response but narrowed her eyes when she didn't get one.

"You know, your sister and Mai don't care that I'm such a whore," she stated, her voice still calm.  
"But you're not!" Yuri called from behind her.  
"Don't say that!" Mai, who was now standing at the edge of the living room, holding Marron so he wouldn't run out, exclaimed.  
"No, no — it's fine," King assured her friends. "I should just… I should _own_ it."  
"What do you mean?" Ryo asked slowly — cautiously.

A derisive smile spread across King's lips as she looked into Ryo's face. It was clear that he wasn't budging on this; no matter what was said, she was different to him now. And as much as it stung, it really _was_ going to be fine… because, from here on out, she was going to have fun with it.

"You have your convictions and I have... one hell of a body count, don't I? Either way, I'm done talking about this now," she said in a level tone despite her sarcastic remark. She thoughtfully stirred her ice cream, which was starting to get to room temperature, and fished a big glob of cookie dough out with her spoon.

Ryo rubbed at his stubble, his brow furrowed.

"But, are we…? I mean…"  
"I told you not to presume that we're good… but we're well enough, I suppose. Now, if you'll excuse me?"  
"Ruh-right. Okay. Sure... See you for sparring?"  
"...Soon."

With a slow nod Ryo turned and began walking away. King watched and waited: This was going to be great.

"Céccy…?" Yuri asked while walking over to King.  
"I'm okay."  
"You sure?" Mai chimed in.

King didn't answer as she stirred her ice cream some more. She waited for Ryo to reach the end of the hall; once he was there she scooped up a blob of slow-churned vanilla goodness and called out:

"Hey, Ryo?"

He turned to look at King, a quizzical expression on his face.

"...Yeah?"  
"You know how you don't agree with my 'lifestyle?' And how you didn't agree with it even before this 'too many men' thing?"

Ryo made a face; he appeared as though he wanted to say something, but King beat him to it.

"I just want you to know that I fucked Vanessa!"

With that, King locked eyes with Ryo; she licked the frozen mound off of her spoon _very_ deliberately, which made him turn an _outrageous_ shade of red. She then waved sweetly, making sure to put extra emphasis on the motion of her fingers before shutting the door. She turned to Mai and grinned.

"Never better…!"

* * *

_Welp. There you have it. I'm sure you were thinking that this whole thing was going to send King into a spiral, but she's in a better place now! She can joke! And laugh! And make Ryo really uncomfortable! It's going to be great. You'll see. Anyway, there actually aren't any notes this time. Like... King ate chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream in Oxygen to Breathe? Like, that's it. That's all I've got. _

_And that concludes this little foray into how one person being an asshole can have a ripple effect on several others. So, like, don't be an asshole. Be good to one another. Also, tell me your thoughts and feels now that this one is over. _

_Cheers~_


End file.
